


Gratitude

by Kimium



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: A bit of lying for a friend, Alternate Universe - No Despair, Dreams, Fluff, Kitsune!Komaeda, M/M, Modern AU, One Shot, Rain, Sonia/Souda/Tanaka OT3, Supernatural AU - Freeform, University Student! Hinata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 14:43:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17469530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimium/pseuds/Kimium
Summary: One Shot. No Despair. Kitsune!Komaeda."The rain wasn’t letting up and Hajime was definitely drenched. He shouldn’t be stopping but here he was, stopping on the trail, looking at the ground.By one of the trees, at the base of some knotted roots, was a small creature, curled up. At first, Hajime thought it was a cat or perhaps a small dog, but as it moved, hiding from the rain, Hajime saw that it was a fox.An actual fox."On his way home from University, Hajime stumbles across a fox.





	Gratitude

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, I'm done!!!
> 
> I recently picked up a manga named "The Yokai Rental Shop" and I really enjoyed seeing Japanese folklore and myths played with in the series. It's short (only four volumes) so if you're interested, I recommend it!
> 
> I wanted to write a supernatural KomaHina story with the supernatural force NOT being evil or manipulative or possessive towards the other. This was fun to write and I hope you all like it. I have made a note about the story, particularly Gundham, that may clear up some things if you're wondering about his actions in the fic.
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos or comments. Those really motivate me and inspire me. Also, if you want to check my tumblr out, please check it out [here](http://www.kimium.tumblr.com).

It was raining heavily by the time Hajime got out of his meeting.

The sky was overcast with heavy, thick, grey clouds. Rain pattered consistently and with the humidity of summer, left the air feeling smugger and tighter to breathe in than normal. Hajime groaned loudly and looked at his feet. His runners would be soaked and he didn’t have an umbrella. Mentally running through the distance of the university to the train station, Hajime adjusted his messenger bag and steadied himself. Sure, getting soaked wasn’t on his list of things he expected when leaving the apartment but Hajime couldn’t wait for the rain to stop.

With that, Hajime ran out, immediately feeling his clothes (thin not water proof jacket, shirt, pants) stick to his skin and felt water dripping down his face. His shoes splashed in the puddles as he ran and Hajime knew sooner or later his soaks would also be soaked.

Racing down the sidewalk, Hajime took the familiar turn towards the train station. He passed by a few businesses, mainly restaurants and cafes, and continued down towards the end of the block where a Lawson sat. The light on the other end turned red and the walk light began to blink. Groaning, Hajime slowed down a bit. He could wait for the light but he could also cut down and around a different way. Deciding that would be a better option, Hajime turned right and kept going down the street, heading towards a park. If he cut across the park he’d be on the other side and could make it to the train station.

Crossing the street, as there were less cars around the crosswalk to the park, Hajime ran through, keeping to the trail. The park was mainly sand and dirt, with a playground to one corner and some tree thickets to the other. There were also no other people because others were clearly smarter and didn’t get caught in the rain. Hajime went towards the tree thickets and was cutting into a trail that was used for bikes and jogs, when he saw a flash of white in the bushes. Stopping abruptly, Hajime felt his wet messenger bag thump against his soaked back. The rain wasn’t letting up and Hajime was definitely drenched. He shouldn’t be stopping but here he was, stopping on the trail, looking at the ground.

By one of the trees, at the base of some knotted roots, was a small creature, curled up. At first, Hajime thought it was a cat or perhaps a small dog, but as it moved, hiding from the rain, Hajime saw that it was a fox.

An actual fox.

Hajime stared at the fox and the fox stared back. Swallowing Hajime glanced around. Foxes weren’t common in the city and seeing one in a park was strange. It was so off putting that Hajime didn’t know what to do. Should he phone the city? Some animal control center? Leave the fox alone? The pounding of the rain on Hajime’s back caused his mind to scream at him, urging him to go. With that, Hajime almost turned to keep running towards the train station, when he saw the fox move again and saw red.

It was bleeding. Hajime stared and felt his heart twist. The animal was injured. That meant he had to phone someone, right? Hajime was by no means an expert in treating animals and if the animal was wild it was best for him to leave to experts. Who knew what sorts of diseases the animal was unknowingly carrying? Distantly, Hajime heard the voice of Tanaka reinforcing the point in his brain. Hajime should phone some service that dealt professionally with animals, go home, and hope he didn’t get sick from being soaked outside for so long.

The fox gave a rather pitiful yelp, almost like it was trying to communicate with Hajime. Jolting, Hajime watched the fox limp back into the tree trunk, curling up, looking up at Hajime with dark eyes. Hajime’s heart twitched at the sight and something clicked inside of him.

Walking over, as though entranced, Hajime knelt by the fox. The foliage of the tree sheltered him for a brief second from the rain, though water dripped off Hajime in rivers. The fox hadn’t moved and was looking at Hajime, unmoving and unblinking.

“This is nuts.” Hajime muttered to himself before he moved his hands towards his chest.

He thankfully had his soaked jacket. Pulling the material off was difficult due to it sticking to his skin, but Hajime wasn’t going to touch an injured animal with bare hands. Sure, he was risking himself anyways, but the jacket gave a very brief veil of safety to Hajime’s mind.

“I’m going to help you.” Hajime kept talking to the animal. Tanaka always said that even if animals didn’t understand the words, they could understand intention and tone. “So please, stay still.”

Hajime had no idea what he’d do if the fox bit him or scratched him, but thankfully none of those things happened. The fox easily was scooped up into the jacket. The weight was surprisingly heavy and the fox warm. Something warm seeped into the fabric and Hajime knew that after this he’d have to throw the jacket out. Shifting his arm, Hajime looked down at his messenger bag, where his phone was. He couldn’t reach it now but when he arrived back at his, apartment he’d have to phone Tanaka.

His apartment. Hajime glanced at the fox in his arms, who was sitting rather contently, and sighed. There was no way he could go on public transport with a live fox in his arms. It appeared Hajime would have to walk home.

~

Hajime was dripping into the entrance of his apartment, soaking the floor, but he didn’t care. The fox hadn’t moved a ton during the journey back and thankfully no one saw Hajime run down the street with a wild animal in his arms.

Shutting the door to his place with one hand, Hajime turned the lights on and then kicked off his shoes. His socks were soaked, as he expected, and his skin was cold. Shivering a bit, Hajime walked into his place and headed to the bathroom.

Stepping into the tiled space, Hajime gently set the fox down on the bathroom floor, happy he had cleaned it recently, and began to strip off his socks and shirt. The fox remained in the soaked jacket and lifted its head slightly at Hajime.

“Sorry.” Hajime said to the fox. “I’m soaked, you’re soaked, we’re going to dry off in here.”

The fox looked at Hajime like it understood him and simply lay its head down. Hajime smiled to himself and finished stripping off the rest of his clothes. Shivering, Hajime set his dripping clothes over the tub and then walked out to dry himself off enough to grab his phone and call Tanaka. Keeping an eye on the fox as he called out of the tiled room (the echo would be horrible) Hajime tapped his fingers on his sink’s counter and as his phone rang he wrapped a towel around his waist for modesty he didn’t need in his own house.

_“Hajime? What force has bid and compelled you to initiate a voice conversation with me?”_

“Hello Gundham.” Hajime greeted as he looked at the fox. “I have a bit of a situation.”

 _“A situation?”_ Tanaka’s voice was sharp. _“What sort of situation has the road of life thrown down your ever spiralling journey?”_

“Um… well I was walking home when I cut through the park on the way to the train station and I stumbled across this fox.”

 _“A fox?”_ Tanaka’s voice lifted with surprise, the theatrics dropped for a moment.

“Yes, it’s alive, sort of injured.” Hajime kept talking. “I didn’t really check the extent of the injury but I don’t believe it’s very deep or life threatening. I decided to take it home.”

 _“You whisked a fox from nature and the earth itself and now it resides in your humble abode?”_ Tanaka asked, his voice slightly alarmed. _“Hajime, have you been in contact with any of the foul spirits the fox could be carrying upon its form?”_

“I wrapped it in my jacket, so I think I’m fine.” Hajime protested.

 _“We’re going to have a long chat about protecting your physical being.”_ Tanaka scolded him before continuing. _“I imagine it will take me about twenty minutes to arrive at your place. Please wait for my assistance.”_

“Thanks, Gundham.” Hajime said before the call ended.

Putting his phone down, Hajime then walked over to the bathroom. The fox was still there, though it had untangled itself from Hajime’s jacket. It was padding around the tiled room, not looking distressed or injured. Hajime stared as his brain processed the image. Wasn’t the fox injured? There was blood. Hajime remembered seeing the blood. Did he simply imagine it? Frowning, Hajime walked into the bathroom slowly and carefully and took a better look at the fox under the bright light.

Under the light Hajime could see the colour of the fox, a sort of white that looked a bit muted grey and silver depending on the shadows and the way light bounced off the fur. The fur also looked rather thick. Perhaps the injury was hidden underneath all that fur? The fox also had a bit of mud and dirt on its paws and a bit under on its belly. Maybe the dirt and grime covered up an injury too?

“Hey.” Hajime found himself speaking to the fox and thin air. “I phoned my friend. He’s an expert in animals. He’ll know what to do.”

The fox stared at him and tilted its head before turning away and walking towards the small stool Hajime had by the shower head. His entire situation hit Hajime’s brain and he flushed. Here he was, talking to a fox,  practically naked, in his own bathroom. This was ridiculous and Hajime was about to leave, change into a new pair of clothes, and wait for Tanaka when the fox pawed a bit at the shower head’s cord. Hajime watched for another second and saw that the fox wasn’t giving up.

“Do you want a shower?” Hajime found himself asking.

A yip, the first sound Hajime had heard from the fox echoed off the tiled room, and Hajime took that as an affirmative answer. Tanaka had warned him about simply touching the fox with bare hands so Hajime made a quick choice. Tanaka would probably appreciate checking a clean fox over a dirty fox anyways.

“One second.” Hajime said before leaving the bathroom.

Heading to his kitchen, Hajime grabbed a pair of dish gloves. Of course, they weren’t as good as actual gloves for first aid or whatnot but Hajime didn’t have any in his apartment. Returning to the bathroom, Hajime saw the fox hadn’t moved from the shower’s cord. It did, however, turn to give Hajime a look, like it couldn’t believe he was wearing the gloves, and Hajime frowned.

“Sorry. I don’t know where you’ve been.” Hajime told the fox. “Forgive me for trying to be safe.”

The fox gave another yip and Hajime ignored it. Instead, he carefully walked over and grabbed the shower’s head, moving the cord down so he could fill a small bowl he kept on the side for cleaning with warm water. When he finished, Hajime then turned to the fox, the shower head still on, and watched. Would the fox mind want to be sprayed with water? Should Hajime pick the fox up and set it into the bowl? Which was better? The fox gave another look and made the choice for Hajime. Trotting over, it walked under the shower’s spray, looking content under the soft flow of water.

“Oh, okay,” Hajime muttered, angling the shower’s head so it wouldn’t spray him. He hadn’t taken his towel off. “If you’re okay with this.”

Dirt and grime began to wash off the fox’s feet. Hajime grimaced and hoped this meant he didn’t have to clean his bathroom again. However, a few minutes later the water began to run clear and the fox seemed happy with the result. Walking up of the water, the fox shook and water sprayed everywhere. Hajime turned the shower off and laughed to himself. Hanging the shower head back in place, Hajime bit his lip. He should dry the fox off too. No doubt he had some old towel that was going to be a cleaning rag soon.

“I’ll be back.” Hajime once again spoke to the fox.

Stepping out, Hajime dried his feet and then walked over to his linen closet. Pulling an old towel out, Hajime returned to the bathroom and carefully walked over to the fox. The fox was still and it was almost eerie. For a wild animal, the fox was behaving extremely calm. Gently, Hajime finally touched the fox again, feeling the heat and wetness from the water soak into the old towel. Pat drying the fox, Hajime then carefully scooped the fox up and carried it out to his bedroom. Before Tanaka came over Hajime needed to change. Setting the fox carefully down, Hajime hoped it wouldn’t start walking all over the place in the time he needed to put a pair of pants on and a shirt.

“Will you stay put and let me change?” Hajime asked the fox absentmindedly.

Another yip. This one sounded rather amused. Hajime wondered if his personification of the animal’s sounds was accurate. It didn’t matter in the end. Quickly Hajime began to change, throwing on an entire new set of clothes. The fox hadn’t moved from the towel.

“Thanks.” Hajime muttered before he picked the fox up again. “Let’s wait for Gundham in the kitchen.”

The fox moved and the sudden change in position nearly caused Hajime to drop the animal. Looking down, Hajime frowned. Was this the part where the calm (whatever had caused it) now was wearing off and Hajime would have to deal with a restless, wild, possibly dangerous, animal?

Moving quickly back to the bathroom, Hajime grabbed his phone, with extreme balance and skill he may add, and headed towards his kitchen. The fox was still shifting a bit and Hajime wondered if this was a sign that the animal was hungry. Hajime wasn’t certain what foxes ate and he wasn’t going to give anything and somehow mess something up.

Instead, Hajime set the fox down carefully and hoped that it simply didn’t want to be held for so long. It seemed to work as the fox began to move about Hajime’s apartment, slowly, like it wanted to check everything out.

“Oh sure, take a tour.” Hajime mused to himself. “I’ll wait here.”

Taking the dish gloves off, Hajime checked his phone again. It had been at least fifteen minutes. Surely Tanaka would arrive soon. Hajime hoped. A yip caused Hajime to set his phone down and look over at the fox. The fox was looking at him with the incredulous look a cat would give after being ignored. Hajime laughed to himself.

“Do you want my attention, is that it?” Hajime asked. “Haven’t I been giving enough of that?”

Another yip. Was that a counter to Hajime?

“Well, what else do you want me to do?” Hajime leaned back. “I’m not feeding you since I’m not even sure what you eat. I’m not going to try snuggling you. That sounds like a one way ticket to being bitten.”

Another yip that sounded an awful lot like incredulousness and amusement. Hajime opened his mouth to speak when the bell to his place went off. Jumping up, Hajime looked at the fox and then to his door. That had to be Tanaka.

“One moment.” Hajime told the fox. “Gundham’s here.”

Walking towards the door, Hajime carefully unlocked it. Outside was Tanaka and Souda, who was yawning widely. Tanaka cast a quick look at Hajime, scanning him up and down before he stepped in, rather dramatically, and glanced down the hallway.

“Is the creature still present?”

“Yes. The fox is in the kitchen.” Hajime told Tanaka. “Thanks for coming over.”

“It is not an issue.” Tanaka immediately replied. “I was just on route in gathering my dear Kazuichi from the institution of learning when I received your urgent message.”

“Don’t mind me.” Souda added, yawning loudly again. “I had a long day.”

“Sorry.” Hajime winced. “I know the weather is terrible. I hope I’m not ruining any plans.”

“We texted Sonia and told her we’d be a bit late.” Souda replied. “She sends her hellos.”

“Indeed, she passes on her warmest greetings. Now, let’s meet this fox you procured on your way home.” Tanaka was on task.

“This way.”

Hajime walked back towards his kitchen and then froze. The fox, who had been there just a moment ago, was no where to be found. Hajime frowned and took a large sweep of the room. There weren’t many places to hide in his apartment. The kitchen was open and the living room only had one couch.

“Uh…” Hajime bit his lip. "The fox was here a moment ago. I swear.”

“Did it wander off?” Souda asked, peaking around. “Want to check your apartment? It should still be here.”

Right. That was logical. “Then I’ll check my bedroom.” Hajime said.

He left the two and wandered back into his bedroom, flicking the light on. Doing a scan, Hajime checked the only places it could have hidden, under his bed and in the closet. When nothing came up, Hajime walked back out. Souda or Tanaka seemed to have checked under the couch already and had moved on to the bathroom. Walking over to his bathroom, Hajime glanced in and saw nothing. That was impossible.

“It couldn’t have escaped, could it?” Hajime wondered aloud. “I mean, I have no where else to hide.”

Tanaka’s brow was furrowed and he immediately whipped around and stared at Hajime. Hajime’s heart fluttered as Tanaka moved in, rather closely. Up close Hajime could see the dark eyeliner and the tinge of mascara.

“Uh… Gundham?” Hajime asked.

“Silence.” Tanaka softly ordered before he rather abruptly poked Hajime on the forehead.

Stumbling back a bit, Hajime blinked. It was a very good thing he had been friends with Tanaka for so long. Though that only provided a small bit of context to what had just transpired.

“Hm…” Tanaka muttered. “All is stable in your aura.”

“What?” Hajime blurted out.

However, before Tanaka could respond, Souda interjected himself in, pulling Tanaka back. “I think I found out the answer. You left your balcony door a bit ajar. I think the fox might have slipped outside.”

The explanation threw Hajime for a loop. He turned to Souda and blinked. “I… did?”

“Yeah, come look.” Souda all but grabbed Hajime’s wrist and dragged him over to the living room. “See?”

Sure, enough the door was a bit ajar. Hajime was only on the second floor and he wasn’t that high up. The fox could have jumped down, Hajime supposed, but could foxes do that? He wasn’t too sure but this had to be the only explanation to the missing fox.

“I’m sorry.” Hajime blurted out. “I had you make a trip over here and its in vain.”

“That’s not something to fret over, Hajime Hinata.” Tanaka slowly spoke. “Though may I make sure you are all right?”

Oh. That was a good idea. Hajime nodded and with that Tanaka slowly made Hajime sit on his couch. Kneeling so he was at Hajime’s feet, Tanaka scanned Hajime’s body and then rather boldly rested a hand on Hajime’s forehead and then peered closer at Hajime, staring him down.

“Your physical appearance is presenting itself as stable.” Tanaka mused. “You weren’t scratched or bitten?”

“No. The fox was rather calm.” Hajime replied.

“You’re not feeling like your mortal form is sliding off balance?”

“I’m feeling fine.”

“Your aura isn’t waning or shifting?”

What did that even mean? “I’m good.”

“Then, I deem your condition stable and in peak health.” Tanaka stood up. “Still, I highly recommend you make a stop at a local medical center, just to be safe.”

“Right.” Out of everything Tanaka had said that felt the most concrete. “I will.”

“Then, we shall depart, come, my dearest Kazuichi, let’s not keep our princess waiting for our arrival.”

“We’ll see you later, Hajime.” Souda waved.

Hajime stood up. “Thanks again, for coming over.”

He walked them to the entrance and watched them leave. When they were gone, Hajime shut his door, locked it, and walked back to his living room. The balcony door. He touched the glass and frowned to himself. Something felt off regarding that explanation but what else could he conclude? Sighing, Hajime shut the door tightly and locked it. This had been an eventful day and now that he was alone Hajime felt fatigue hit him. He needed a rest.

~

_Something was touching him, fingers, perhaps? They trailed down his cheek and over his hair in a feather light manner. Hajime shifted in his sheets, feeling the blanket tangle around his legs, but he couldn’t open his eyes. A warm breath ghosted over his ear and lips pressed close, almost in a kiss._

_“Thank you. You’re very kind.”_

_The voice was soft, an alto or a high tenor. Hajime wanted to open his eyes and see who was talking to him but the voice softly shushed him, lips leaving his ear. It was cold for a moment before Hajime felt something pressed into his hand. It felt a bit rough and waxy, the same way the back of a leaf felt. Hajime felt thin fingers gently pry Hajime’s fingers open, placing the item into his hands._

_“A token of thanks.”_

_Hajime once again felt lips brush against his ear before the presence disappeared._

~

Hajime woke up abruptly and felt the blood rush all through his head in a manner that made the room spin. He was in his bedroom, it was morning, and there was nothing in his hands. Staring down Hajime groaned and rubbed his hair. It was just a dream. A very vivid dream, but a dream none the less. Glancing at his clock, Hajime almost flopped back into bed. He didn’t have any classes and normally the day was for catching up but it was too early. However, before he lay down Hajime spotted something on his night table. Something he couldn’t place filled him and Hajime leaned forward with a jolt. Uncertainty raced through his body as he picked the object up. It was rough and waxy, similar to the underside of a leaf. It reminded Hajime of leaves used to wrap mochi. The object was just like the one in his dream. Hesitantly, Hajime picked it up.

 “This is nuts.” Hajime muttered. “I dreamt this.”

Turning the object over, Hajime saw that it too had some string, like it was merely holding something inside and the leaf was there as packaging. Carefully and cautiously, Hajime opened up the parcel. Inside was a smooth carved piece of wood with gold running through the entire thing. The wood itself was flat, like a small rectangular panel. It reminded Hajime of a good luck charm. Picking the wooden trinket up, Hajime turned it around. There was nothing written on it and nothing else in the parcel. The mystery thickened and Hajime groaned. It was too early for him to even think about how this had happened. He wanted to fall back asleep but his mind was too wired.

“Great, just great.” Hajime sighed as he got out of bed.

Setting the parcel carefully on his night stand, Hajime stared at the smooth wood charm and sighed. He wouldn’t receive answers by sitting around. The most logical answer was Tanaka gave it to him but Tanaka wouldn’t usually gift something silently. He’d make a grand show over gifting some sort of charm. Souda also wouldn’t do this. He would hand it to Hajime like a regular human being. Though, that didn’t explain how he dreamt the trinket up.

Groaning, Hajime decided his best choice was to leave it alone. He was hungry and now that he was up Hajime had other things to do. Perhaps, after chores, homework, and the shock of where this object came from wore off, he’d text Tanaka and inquire.

Nodding to himself, Hajime walked out of his bedroom and started his day off just a bit earlier than he had anticipated.

~

After breakfast Hajime did a few chores around the apartment before some homework. His readings and assignments for all his classes weren’t going to read or write themselves. Working all morning and into the afternoon. By the time the sunlight was streaming in, the late afternoon glow staining the room, Hajime was ready for a break. Stretching he glanced over at his counter. The wooden trinket still sat there, innocently bouncing light off it. Under the glow of the sun the wood looked warm, almost a  golden red brown with darker brown grain running through it. Hajime stood up and picked the wood up. It felt the same as the morning. Nothing had changed. Sighing Hajime pocketed the wooden trinket. He hadn’t given any further thoughts to the origin of the trinket. Logic had won over and obviously Tanaka had gifted it to him.

“Worrying isn’t going to help.” Hajime muttered. “You can just ask Gundham about it.”

He had other things to do. Grabbing his phone and wallet, Hajime left his apartment. There were some errands to run and, wooden trinket or not, he had to do them. Walking towards the train station, Hajime pressed his Suica card to the gates before walking over to his platform.

The train ride over to the grocery store was short and when Hajime exited, he automatically walked out of the station. Sunlight continued to stream down and while there were a few puddles on the sidewalks most of the pavement was dry. Hajime side stepped some of the water and then continued on his way.

Inside the grocery store it wasn’t too busy, which was expected due to the time Hajime was arriving. Grabbing a basket, Hajime mentally ran down his grocery list as he grabbed the items he needed. Paying for them and taking the bag, Hajime left and headed back towards the train station. As he walked, Hajime hummed. The day was overall going well and despite the strange wooden trinket, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Returning to the train station, Hajime once again swiped his Suica card and headed to his platform. The ride back was just as short on the return. Upon returning, Hajime continued to walk towards his apartment, considering what he should cook for dinner.

His thoughts were abruptly stopped when he came up to his apartment door. Standing outside, the sunlight still at his back, Hajime stared at his door and suddenly felt like something was off. Staring at his door, Hajime lightly touched it. Nothing budged, the door still locked. Frowning, Hajime dug for his keys and unlocked his door slowly. The door creaked open and Hajime carefully walked inside. The lights were still off and the place felt just as untouched as it was when Hajime had left earlier. Turning the lights on, Hajime carefully walked into his apartment.

There was nothing. Hajime set his groceries on the counter and even did a small sweep of his apartment. His mind was simply playing tricks on him. That had to be it. He was just high strung due to the weird trinket. It was probably now a good time to text Tanaka about it.

Pulling his phone out, Hajime sent a quick message before setting his phone down. He had other things to do. Tanaka would get back to him.

~

It wasn’t until the morning as Hajime was heading towards his class that his phone chimed with a message. Hajime nearly dropped his phone as he scrambled to check the message, careful to only pull his phone out and not the wooden trinket.

 **Tanaka:** _My most sincere apologies for the delayed reply, Hajime. My evening was very packed with multiple tasks and quests. Now, you say you had a strange wooden trinket?_

 **Tanaka:** _Answers to the inquiry you are seeking are difficult to muddle through with fog and mist hindering my mind. There are many unknowns clouding my understanding. Perhaps we can arrange a direct meeting? Please respond with the hour upon which we can arrange a meeting._

Hajime smiled at the wording. Some things never changed. Quickly typing out a response ( _I can meet you today after class if that works for you_ ), he headed off to his first class. Time crawled to a halt as Hajime sat and listened to his professor lecture. It was only until after his third (and final) class of the day that Hajime received a message.

 **Tanaka:** _Then, shall we meet at the Good Bean café today at four thirty?_

 **Hajime:** _Sure, that works._

Pocketing his phone, mindful of the trinket, Hajime walked towards the café. He would be a bit early, but that didn’t matter. It was the same direction he had taken when he found the fox and as Hajime passed by businesses and blocks, he came to the block by the park. Staring down the road, Hajime found himself walking back towards the park. There would be no way the fox was there but somehow it felt right for him to walk and check. Hajime had the time. Heading towards the tree he had found the fox, Hajime stopped.

There was nothing, of course, just grass, dirt, and thick tree roots. Hajime lightly kicked the ground and felt foolish, a blush filling his cheeks. What was he expecting? He hadn’t really thought about the fox, but really, what did the fox have to do with the weird trinket? The meeting with the fox was just some strange coincidence.

Leaving, Hajime continued on his way to the café. Good Bean café was a modest café with a ton of tables and couches for people to sit and relax. Their menu was perfect for students and Hajime loved their coffee. The warmth of the café hit him along with the smell of coffee and baking. Ordering, Hajime then picked a table, big enough for four people, just in case Tanaka brought Souda and Sonia along, and sat down.

Savouring his drink, Hajime had only barely started when the door to the café opened and he spotted Tanaka walking in. Behind him Sonia and Souda trailed in. Tanaka was dressed in his usual dark clothes with purple scarf. Meanwhile Sonia and Souda were the opposite, with pastels on Sonia and bright colours on Souda. Yet, all three of them worked together. Hajime watched Sonia talk to the two, giving both of them kisses on their cheeks, before she walked over to the counter to order. Tanaka and Souda headed towards Hajime.

“Hello.” Hajime greeted. “It seems we’re all a bit early.”

“Greetings, Hajime.” Tanaka sat down with a swoop. “I’ve pondered over your texts for some time and I wish to uncloud the unknown variables sweeping my mind.”

“Hello Hajime.” Souda casually said as he sat down beside Tanaka. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Hajime answered as he dug into his pocket for the wooden trinket. “Here is the trinket I was talking about.”

Tanaka immediately touched it and hummed, his brow furrowed. Hajime watched as Tanaka turned a bit, so he was sitting more off the side. Souda shrugged and leaned in.

“I’ve been so busy lately.” Souda drew Hajime’s attention away from Tanaka. “The garage has been so busy and then my classes.”

Hajime could imagine. “Fix anything interesting?”

“You bet I have!”

Souda then launched into a vivid description of some cars he had to fix. He was just getting deep into a story about some expensive, foreign car, when Sonia returned, carrying a tray. Souda immediately cut himself off and stood up, immediately pulling her chair out. Sonia flushed and sat down gracefully beside Hajime.

“Here you go.” She passed the drinks over before she looked at Hajime. “Hello, Hajime. It’s so lovely seeing you again.”

“It’s great to see you too, Sonia.” Hajime said. “How have you –?”

Tanaka suddenly turned and stared at Hajime and it cut off his sentence. There was something in Tanaka’s eyes and Hajime suddenly wondered if something really was wrong. Then, Tanaka pressed the trinket into Hajime’s hands, carefully curling his fingers over it.

“It appears this is a gift from someone that’s slipping through the filter of your memory. There is no malicious intent or curse upon this trinket. Keeping it on your person won’t hurt you, nor will it grant boon upon your form.”

A gift from what? Hajime stared at the wooden trinket and back to Tanaka. “Are you… meaning this metaphorically or?”

“I say what I mean, Hajime.” Tanaka replied simply. “The trinket is harmless.”

That sounded like the end of that conversation. Hajime pocketed the trinket and considered Tanaka’s words. It was always best to take Tanaka’s words with a grain of salt. Sure, Tanaka was very spiritual and knew things that Hajime never knew how he figured them out. Hajime valued his insight and felt that somewhere in Tanaka’s answer there was some sort of logical answer. Perhaps it was some sort of trinket he had on his night stand and forgot? Or Tanaka gifted it to him. There was no way Hajime had simply dreamed the trinket up.

“Of course, thanks.” Hajime wasn’t going to think more on the mysterious trinket. If it was safe then he didn’t have to worry.

“Never a problem Hajime. Now, let’s…”

“But for clarification,” Hajime continued, “did you gift it to me?”

Something shifted in Tanaka’s posture and Hajime saw. He saw a tighten of his shoulders, a slight downturn of his smile, before he answered, his tone bright but underneath strained.

“Naturally it was I! Who else could have gifted the trinket unto your form? There is nothing to fear.”

He was lying. Hajime was hit with the realization. It was a flimsy lie. After all, if Tanaka had simply gifted the trinket to him then he wouldn’t have gone through all of this. Tanaka wouldn’t go through the rouse of pretending to not know. He would have just texted Hajime that he gifted the trinket. Still, what could Hajime say in response? Biting his lip, Hajime just nodded and took his coffee mug into his hands. Regardless of the answer and why Tanaka was lying, Hajime trusted his friend. He wouldn’t lead Hajime into danger.

“Okay, thank you then.” Hajime replied.

Tanaka beamed and along with Souda and Sonia, both who Hajime had missed their reactions to Tanaka’s lie, smiled back. Surely, if it really was harmful, they would say. Right?

~

After coffee and the answer that wasn’t right, but wasn’t going to harm him either, Hajime left and walked back to his apartment. He cut through the park again and looked at the tree. No fox. Laughing humourlessly to himself, Hajime kept his pace, returning to his apartment in record time. Now that he had confirmed that things were probably back to normal, he could return to his routine. Perhaps later he could find some way to press Tanaka and receive a better answer. Curiosity still burned in Hajime. However, now wasn’t the time. Opening his apartment door and walking inside, Hajime flicked the lights on and was about to get to work when he saw a figure in his apartment.

Screaming was what someone should do in the situation but Hajime merely froze before he threw his bag at the intruder. The intruder yelped but didn’t move from the path of the bag. Instead, they let the bag hit them fully before groaning, stumbling back. Hajime’s heart was racing and he immediately had his phone in hand. He had to get out and call the police. Turning to run, Hajime almost took a step when the figure called out to him.

“I’m sorry! Please, don’t go. I didn’t mean to… um… scare you.” They ended their sentence rather pathetically. “I won’t hurt you. I swear. If you could not… run away? I… I know your friend… Tanaka?”

The voice was an alto or perhaps a high tenor. Something spiked in Hajime’s mind and his brain screamed that the voice was familiar. The thought made Hajime nearly laugh. Here he was, not acting rationally and listening to the intruder. They could be lying about knowing Tanaka but here Hajime was, turning around to finally look at the figure.

His breath caught. The figure appeared male, with lithe features and soft white hair that was fluffy. Robes, blue and pale sat on almost sheer skin. On top of the figure’s head were fox ears, honest to goodness fox ears that twitched and everything. Behind the figure were fox tails. Nine of them. Something radiated off the figure, a presence that was ancient and familiar.

Hajime stared. Even if he didn’t believe fully in spirits or ghosts and what not even, he wasn’t silly to dispute something that felt genuine. Either that or Hajime was hallucinating and this was some weird dream. Hajime didn’t care. He still had to be cautious.

“Oh, good, you’re not running.” The figure let out a soft sigh. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see me.”

“You know Gundham.” Hajime ignored the part about not wanting to be seen. “Explain.”

“I do.” The reply came. “You can message him if you wish. I am speaking the truth.”

“Okay.” Hajime picked his phone out of his pocket. “Name? If you have one?”

“I call myself Komaeda Nagito.”

Komaeda. Hajime quickly hit his dial button, not wanting to keep his eyes off Komaeda. When the call connected, Hajime spoke.

“You know someone named Komaeda Nagito?”

 _“I…”_ Tanaka’s voice came through clearly. _“I see. So, he’s appeared before you already. If you could listen to my explanation…”_

“Later.” Hajime softly muttered. “Komaeda is in front of me right now. I think I deserve an explanation from you too. You lied to me.”

 _“That I did.”_ Tanaka didn’t deny his actions. _“However, if you discuss with Komaeda I’m sure the reasoning behind my deceit will be revealed. Still, my utmost apologies. We’ll chat again later.”_

The call clicked and Hajime pulled his phone from his ear and looked at Komaeda, who was shifting awkwardly. Putting his phone in his pocket, Hajime pointed to the couch. “Sit. Talk.”

Komaeda did as asked and sat down fluidly. Hajime kept standing and watched as Komaeda made himself comfortable before speaking. “I just wanted to see if you accepted my gift. I’m sorry. I was a coward and didn’t want to give it to you in person. I then asked Tanaka to lie for me, at least until I gathered the courage to meet you. I suppose I don’t have much of an excuse for my deceit and asking Tanaka to lie for me.”

The gift. Hajime had been right all along. He frowned at the fact that Komaeda made Tanaka lie for him but there had to be more. Starting with… “You have fox ears and fox tails.”

“Uh… yes I do.” Komaeda muttered. “I’m a kitsune.” He wiggled his tails as he spoke.

Hajime thickly swallowed. A kitsune. An honest to goodness nine tailed fox in his apartment. That had to mean, logically… “You’re that fox. The one I saved a couple days ago.”

“I am. I can change my form to look like a regular fox.” Komaeda seemed happy that they were at that part. Perhaps he had steeled himself for hysterics. Honestly, a reasonable thing to worry over. “I suppose you’re also wondering why I ran away after you helped me? I heard you talk to Tanaka and that sort of spooked me. I know how protective he is over his friends and the supernatural talking to them. I didn’t want to make him upset.”

Protective? This was the first Hajime had ever heard of that. “Wait, so you’ve been friends with Gundham for a while?”

“I have.” Komaeda answered. “He’s very spiritually aware for a human. It’s very refreshing. It’s like a rechargeable battery for us. It’s also why he’s had so many issues growing up. Any spirit flocked to him. I may have been one of those spirits but I never hurt him.”

Apparently, there were things Hajime had never known about Tanaka. However, everything Komaeda was saying made sense. Relaxing a bit, Hajime sat down on the floor, still a good distance from Komaeda.

“You still asked Gundham to lie for you.”

“I know…” Komaeda winced and his ears flopped down. “I’m really sorry. I just hoped we could meet properly rather than Tanaka telling you about me.”

Speaking of that. “You didn’t mean for me to see you right now. You said so. Why are you in my apartment then?”

“I just wanted to know if you accepted my gift.” Komaeda replied. “The wooden trinket.”

Hajime dug into his pocket and pulled the trinket out. The wood glimmered and somehow, in Komaeda’s presence, it glowed more. “What is this anyways? Gundham said it’s harmless.”

“It is.” Komaeda answered. “It doesn’t have strong magical properties. The magic on it won’t interfere with your life. All it does it grant health and happiness. It’s mild just like charms from shrines. I know that Tanaka wouldn’t want me to gift you anything stronger without consulting him and you personally. Magic is very fickle.”

Hajime exhaled. There was a lot of information to process. His brain hurt but Hajime stuck to the things he knew. “So, you’re the fox I saved and all you wanted to do was thank me for saving you?”

“Basically.” Komaeda replied with a sheepish look. “Sorry I stayed as a fox when you rescued me. I figured if I shifted in front of you that would have resulted in… um… I should go.” Komaeda’s face was pink. “I’m sorry again, for disturbing you. I’m also sorry, again, for making Tanaka lie. I’ll just… see myself out…”

Komaeda felt sincere. His words and demeanour were honest. Hajime wasn’t entirely sure what to do with the new information about Tanaka, but one thing at a time.

“Wait.” Hajime called out. “You don’t have to go. I’m not upset. I am just very surprised. This is a lot to take in.”

“I can imagine.” Komaeda beamed, seemingly more comfortable now that all the explanations were out of the way and he was welcomed. “I can answer things for you, if you like.”

“Right.”

Hajime tried to think. What could he ask Komaeda? His brain rolled before it latched onto the obvious. “Wait, you gifted this to me? When I was asleep? I think I remember it… I thought it was a dream.”

He flushed. Komaeda had… kissed his ear.

Komaeda immediately flushed along with Hajime. “Ah… sorry… I just was so overfilled with gratitude. I had been in a fight with… you know what, it’s not that important, anyways I really was injured. You really saved me.”

His tails swished and Hajime watched them for a moment before he coughed. “It’s nothing, really.” He needed to change the topic. “So… um…”

At that moment Hajime’s stomach growled, reminding him that it was later and time to start making supper. Flushing, Hajime stood up. If he wanted to eat and learn more about Komaeda then the next step was logical.

“Do you want to stay for supper?” Hajime asked.

Komaeda’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“I am.” Hajime replied before he paused. “You can eat human food, right?”

“Oh, I can.” Komaeda replied. “I can eat anything really.” He then paused. “I mean food wise. I don’t eat people.” He hastily added. “I promise.”

Hajime found himself laughing. “I get it. Then, help me out? I have many questions to ask.”

“Ask away. I will assist you as you inquire.” Komaeda replied.

Now that everything was cleared up with Komaeda, Hajime pulled his phone out. “Sure, just… I should tell Gundham everything is fine. I’m sure he’s fretting.”

“Good idea.” Komaeda smiled. “I’ll wait. I don’t want to ruin anything.”

Hajime nodded and with that, he picked his phone up and dialed Tanaka’s number.

**Author's Note:**

> Lawson: A convenience store chain across Japan. I love Lawson and I miss it greatly.
> 
> Animal care: I am no expert. I want to be very clear that dealing with an actual wild, injured animal should be left to People Who Know What They're Doing. Disease and other factors are things that you need to be careful of and I'm in no way telling you to go pick up the first wild, injured animal you come across. If you're comfortable with that, great, more power to you. Just be careful is all I'm saying.
> 
> Bathroom: Japanese bathrooms are separate from the sink and toilet. The entire room is tiled with a tub and a shower head that's movable. They're the best and I miss my Japanese house :(
> 
> Suica card: An actual card for taking public transit in Japan. The mascot is a penguin and it's adorable.
> 
> Kitsune: From Japanese folklore, they are foxes with nine tails.
> 
> Tanaka Lying: I want to make this very clear that Gundham lied because he was asked to by a friend. He lied because Komaeda wanted to deal with the situation and explanation himself. I personally think that Gundham made the right choice. I've had times where I want to be the one to explain my actions/words so the other person won't get the information second hand from another.
> 
> Komaeda's injury: Who or what injured him is really not something to wonder about. It's not important.
> 
> Tanaka's Spirituality: I figured it would be fun for him to be sensitive to spirits (similar to Watanuki from XXXHolic).


End file.
